


Dreamscape

by Nezanie



Series: Monochrome week 2019 [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, adam is here but we say goodbye to him, mentions of past trauma/abuse - emotional and implied, the black and white trailers make a return
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 06:58:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17824052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nezanie/pseuds/Nezanie
Summary: In their dreams, Blake and Weiss find proof of their connection seeing intimately into the buried memories of the past. (Monochrome week 2019, Day 5: Role Swap)





	Dreamscape

**Author's Note:**

> It's the first time I try to write an episodic sort of story. I hope it's enjoyable. Basically another take to the beginning of monos.

**_Side Black_ **

 

Blake didn’t usually have any dreams, there weren’t even any nightmares even though she knew how frightful the world could be. Instead, her sleep was flighty, lighter than a feather. At beacon that began to change. 

 

“ _ I don’t care, _ ”

 

Blake went over the incident in her mind over and over again. Weiss had been blunt, and irritatingly eager to sweep everything under the rug. However, she seemed to mean that it wasn’t just a new clean slate for Blake as the ex White Fang but for Weiss as a member of the Schnee family as well. Was she saying goodbye to the person who turned a blind eye to the cruelty of her own family against the Faunus? Blake wanted to understand her better, that was the of which she was certain. It might have been the anxiousness melting off as the days turned into weeks from the adventure, or the relief lulling her to sleep as her teammates attitude did not change. Weiss had become more open to her, even though it felt like she still held back. Tonight, Blake’s mind stirring the thoughts of how their relationship would continue change, she went out like a light feeling the intense training making her bones weary. One thing was certain, Blake was so happy, she liked Weiss after all, prickly as she could be the heiress to the Schnee family was not a bad person at all. Surprisingly enough. That she had not seen coming.

 

**_Side White_ **

 

To Blake’s side, in her own bed with the covers draped over her head, Weiss was just as relieved and a bit embarrassed by her own bristly behaviour. In her mind, she had gone over all the hints, all the hidden agendas. Her father’s way with jumping around certain issues and talent in picturing a whole other situation to the media and the gullible masses. She had eagerly bitten the excuse of the few violent members of the white fang going for their cargo and closed her eyes to the many more peaceful protestants. Weiss had been scared, Winter was no longer a frequent visitor to the big castle like building their parents referred to as home. Weiss had been lucky to convince her to train before her big test of skills. After Blake had come clean, Weiss felt she had to admit the part of her that wanted nothing more than to escape the begrudging duty of being the Schnee heiress for a few years. Becoming a huntress, a skilled one like her grandfather was the first step to rebuilding his company and a convenient excuse to put off facing the many, many brutal changes her father made once he had taken over. Even so, Blake was back, they were talking and becoming comfortable enough to be alone together.Although the tension was palpable in the air sometimes, Weiss wondered why her heart would fret at the presence of her friend. Needless to say, regardless of strange feelings,  it felt like she could actually make a change for the first time in her seventeen years of life. The fact remained, there was one thing she had left unsettled.

 

‘ _ Tomorrow _ ,’ she thought, trying to close her eyes and get some sleep, ‘ _ Tomorrow, we’ll talk again and I’ll surely apologize this time _ ,’

 

**_Side Black_ **

 

Blake woke up in the dream, she knew it was not reality just yet, it always felt different when she slept and though it had been years she remembered the fuzzy feeling of existence within a sleep bound world. The shock was the fact it didn’t quite seem like a nightmare, she always expected the worst and something was even more than a little strange. The room she was in resembled none that she remembered, it felt cold. There was a lot of blue and white, memories didn’t work the same when you were asleep so she didn’t bother with the details at first. It was a lovely room, luxurious, with a large walking wardrobe she knew fit all her wonderful clothes even if it wasn’t her memory to know of. There was a heavy anxious feeling gripping her heart, it was normal for the body she inhabited for some reason she had that knowledge but Blake felt it was strange and made it all the more uncomfortable for her to breath. She knew this kind of feeling very well, especially in her last days with Adam. The thought of escaping lingering, however this person could not. There was a sense of duty in her actions she garnered.

 

She tried to not think much of it, it wasn’t like her actions would matter outside of reality, she’d wake up soon enough and be Blake Belladonna all over again. She was aware of the person she was inhabiting, what she had to do so or say came to her with ease. Blake followed the instincts of the real personality of the body starting by getting dressed with a sense of urgency that peaked her curiosity. She tried giving the person as much privacy as possible and apologizing for the breach - dream or no dream courtesy was of essence - and let out a sigh. A knock on the door sent her heartbeat in overdrive, she was expecting someone, and it made her happy. Her emotions transmitted to Blake like a drizzle washing over her, the idea made Blake feel ecstatic for the girl. She was only taken aback when the door opened to a familiar figure.

 

_ ‘Oh, I guess I’m dreaming about Weiss,’ _ she thought more rationally than expected. The girl had been on her thoughts almost constantly lately after all. The one thing that bugged her were the things she never saw before, perhaps her mind had made up their surrounding with her own ideas of where Weiss would live? Then why was there such a sense of glum?

 

“Ready for your training?” the woman said stoically. She looked like Weiss Blake noted, and although she had only seen her in pictures and on media there was no mistaking the runaway ex-heiress Winter Schnee. She had left that title to her younger sibling, yet it seemed she had remained a visitor to her former household. She didn’t look to comfortable or perhaps it was her stern poise as a soldier.

 

Blake nodded nervously, all of Weiss feelings and quirks passing onto her and letting her act in a way that was not like herself. She garnered it wasn’t a normal occurrence between the sisters from the excitement and the sudden need to prove herself to the woman. 

 

“If you’re going to go to Beacon, you’ll have to do better than last time,” she took off, her back to Weiss as they walked away from the room tone affronting. Blake made after her in a trot closing the door to her room -Weiss room - it was getting confusing to think separately and ran after Winter,  “I still think you should join me, Ironwood would not treat you unkindly,”

 

Blake shook her head vigorously even if Winter couldn’t see her as she followed her through the halls of the rich mansion. Weiss emotions were so rich, an ache rippling in her chest at the words. Blake thought there was an act of kindness in the proposal, to Weiss it felt like she wasn’t trusted. 

 

_ ‘She lets her emotions run so rampant, I used to dull them, how can she be so brave when she’s so uncertain,’  _ Blake thought with a hint of envy.

 

“No,” she replied simply but Winter didn’t even seem to twitch. Blake noted her glance, the way she eyed Weiss with a slight tilt of her head without turning back or slowing down. Blake thought she saw the ghost of a smile. She hoped Weiss had seen it too, even if it was just a dream, she felt the emotions of another person so vividly and anxiety of an unknown future was among them right now. She could still discern the difference from her own thoughts, however, they were entwining rather easily as time passed by. At least, for Blake’s part, she was starting to have to think of what she was feeling as her own person instead of what Weiss was. Her actions coming more easily as if she had turned into the Schnee heiress herself. It was a strange thought.

 

_ ‘Is this really just a dream?’ _

 

**Side White**

 

_ ‘This is not a dream, these are memories?’ _

 

Weiss had looked at her hands and came to the conclusion from all the things she had witnessed. At first dismissive since she had been worried about her teammate and her heritage she simply thought she had been influenced by her waking hours. Everything seemed like a movie, and even though she was conscious that she was Weiss Schnee, all her decisions were taken as the Faunus Blake Belladonna. In the fragmented jumps from one age to another, she had felt the arrogance of the people against her very skin and the fear of being a Faunus. It struck her hard, the incredulity at finding the hatred for simply existing as herself. She saw her best friend turn into a monster, someone who no longer shared her views. And now here she was talking to the girl she still trusted, her name was Ilia but Weiss shouldn’t know that. This was more than just a simple trick of the mind, she decided to let it run its course. Weiss wanted to understand, and even if she would never fully be able to, this was an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. It wasn’t like she was given the choice either.

 

_ ‘I’d have rather asked permission, it’s not like I can though,’  _ she thought before she felt a nudge against her side.

 

“What’s up you’re looking gloomier than usual,” Illia teased, and she felt her lips -or rather Blake’s - twitch in amusement. IIlia was a good girl, she liked her and Weiss found her agreeable as well. Brave, unafraid to speak her mind and loyal. She hoped she would be alright especially with what was coming next. She didn’t agree with Blake’s decision fully, it was her choice though and it wasn’t like there were many she paths she could take anymore.

 

“I was just thinking,” she replied naturally, in her heart Blake’s chest felt heavy as if something was trapping the air and not allowing it to flow freely. It hurt. She was so indecisive. Weiss was about to go crazy with the need to flee she kept transmitting.

 

The man, Adam came into view before she could say anything else - the comfortable silence had given her the idea to talk Illia into joining her - now it was gone so suddenly and she flinched the moment she saw his hand go to the hilt of his blade. Weiss didn’t like that sensation, it reminded her of the yelling, the broken bottles and the grabbing that made her arm all stiff. The man gave her the same sensation of inferiority her father did. She hated it. There had been flashes of memory about him, she felt sick remembering, and she shared Blake’s sentiment in wanting to forget those particular episodes. Those memories had passed so fast she barely noticed going through them, unlike the happy times when they camped with their fellow white fang laughing, drinking, eating merrily and proposing the way forward for their people. The hope had been intoxicating, there was little of it left now. It was those times that had kept Blake steady fast and believing. Until things started to get worse, and the parties became less frequent and less populated. Until their companions began to leave for better shores.

 

Today, Blake had decided she would face the problem head on. In the only easy she could think off even if it was considered cowardice. Weiss thought she couldn’t have been braver, no matter how guilty Blake felt, the fact she made the choice made her proud to be part of someone like Blake’s life.

 

“Goodbye Illia,” she murmured for her friend’s ears alone. Adam hummed impatiently, he hadn’t heard. Illia’s eyes showed confusion, her expression worried. She didn’t know Blake meant it. Weiss knew she had made up her mind, it was time to make a change and running away seemed her only option. It was the choices she would take on this new path that would forge the road ahead, Blake would come back and make things right one day. She kept that promise to herself close to heart. Weiss felt honored in sharing in the warmth of that hope as them walked towards the man.

 

**Side Black: Final**

 

Blake felt the wind leave her lungs roughly.. She lost count of many times it happened during her training with Winter. The instances she had been surrounded by summons, the feeling of satisfaction at improving only for the woman to increase the difficulty of the exercise and bringing her back down to earth. Quite literally. Her bum still hurt and the frustration was building. Blake wanted nothing more to reassure Weiss that she was doing well.

 

If Blake had to choose, she preferred facing the fake white grimm though, Winter felt like she punched harder. The sentiment was not shared with Weiss, who always tensed in preparation and there was a strange sort of excitement bubbling in her chest as her sister grinned for a moment before lunging at her younger sister. The chance to prove herself to someone she admired. The opportunity she was being given meant the world to the girl. Facing Winter was always the final task when they trained and Weiss felt alive. She was no longer the pretty doll singing for her audience as the trophy daughter, there was someone who was expecting success from her. 

 

Blake understood things she shouldn't sharing their consciousness, it had been a few weeks since they started, today was the last day. Weiss memories moved fluently and in an organized manner just like their owner. She even picked up on things Weiss didn’t though, the girl’s ego wasn’t as mightily inflated as Blake originally thought. Weiss had an inferiority complex that she kept from becoming a burden. It felt to Blake like she was holding a heavy trunk with a string that might snap at any time. Yet, Weiss did it and she kept it to herself. There were many things she kept to herself. 

 

Blake had come to cherish this opportunity, sending a silent apology to her teammate for infringing her privacy. If she had to choose, she wanted to talk and get to know Weiss within their own terms. Yet, she felt a sense of elation in the thought she was the only one who saw into her heart this deeply. It made her cheeks burn and the guilt resurface. Even so, she resolved to talk to Weiss in the morning. No matter how nonsensical she would sound.

 

Winter’s weapon fell heavily against her rapier. Blake - in Weiss’ shoes - barely managed to catch it. Winter was so fast, even if she was in her own body she felt inadequate, it wouldn’t matter. Weiss glyphs gave her mobility, similarly Blake had the agility and maneuverability with her acrobatics and clones. Winter had all that her younger sister possessed and a bigger muscle build. Up close she seemed huge in her eyes or was it a trick of the mind remembering things unclearly? And on top of that she didn’t hold back that much, or at least Blake thought so, the woman kept changing her pattern of attack so often she couldn’t figure out how strong she truly was. If nothing else, Winter Schnee had already that much more experience. What kind of missions did she get assigned to become that strong? Why couldn’t she cut Weiss some slack?

 

Weiss cried out in unison with Blake, it was difficult to discern who was who anymore. Her whole body protested as she swung at empty space. Winter had already put the much needed distance between them. There was that look in her eye, the one that she tried to keep from Weiss. Blake knew it perplexed Weiss whenever she caught it, and Blake felt like she wanted to cry. She had seen that expression so often when she defied her parent’s choice and stubbornly followed the person she had admired, the one she had thought she had loved. Her mother and father always looked like that in the last days before she left Menagerie. How could Weiss not notice? How could Winter not express it. Why was it so difficult to talk, to express their affection.

 

“Good job,” 

 

Blake started in surprise, staring at the elder sibling. Weiss’ experience did not give her any form of hint towards a reply.

 

Winter seemed bashful for a moment giving her a small smile before sheathing her weapon. “Good job Weiss,” she repeated, she faltered for a moment as Weiss slowly relaxed letting her rapier lower, “I know I said I wouldn’t be there to protect you always, and I meant it,” she turned around and gave Weiss her back. Would that view be the one Weiss would always remember? The smile had been such a faint memory, “However, I might have not made myself clear, I will be there when you need me Weiss, I just want to make sure you don’t really need me for the times I’m far away,,”

 

Blake wondered if it was encouragement. It sounded so awkward and yet, heartfelt. It made her rethink a lot of things about the Schnee family. Perhaps, they had portrayed them as monsters and couldn’t see the root of the problem was elsewhere.

 

Weiss shook her head, “I still can’t summon,”

 

Blake felt she wanted to roll her eyes as the response left her lips. The overachiever feeling helpless, she couldn’t understand why the sisters could be so distanced when it was obvious they cared. Had they never learned to show their love?  _ ‘It’s so sad how suffocating this feels,’ _

 

Winter chuckled, venturing to their side, “Don’t be so impatient, it might not show yet, one day your growth will get you there,”

 

“Father’s test tomorrow, if I succeed, it would be the first step,” Weiss said clutching her first determined, Blake looked down at it with awe as if she was holding her faith itself,“I have to win,”

 

“I know you will,” Winter placed a hand on Weiss cheek letting it linger for a moment. It meant the world to Weiss. 

 

The memory, Blake discerned she should call them so, jumped and it made her feel disoriented for a moment.. Weiss’ recollection rarely did, it made Blake feel in the spotlight all of a sudden. Together, they faced everything head on. Blake’s head was starting to feel heavy with all that she had shared, it seemed she would soon wake up. This was the last scene before the curtains closed. It flashed by so fast, her muscles tense brimming with aura, the giant knight in front of her cold and calculating Weiss future hinging on her win or loss. It was their deal that would decide Weiss future. Blake tried to share her own strength with this version of Weiss, she wouldn’t let her fight alone, not this time. This Weiss would move on to meet her one day, it was an important event that had changed Blake’s life and she wouldn’t risk losing it. 

 

“Win and do as you wish, but if you lose, be a good, obedient girl and follow your father’s wishes,” the scientist had sneered. Blake’s rage flared, they would not lose, there was no way. Mentally, she promised to kick this idiot’s butt if she ever saw him again and mentally prepared herself.

 

In a moment of distraction, their aura faltered for a second and a hot, sharp pain seared against the side of their head. Their visuals faltered and they could not see well. They didn’t lose their cool, it would all be over, there was still a way. They didn’t need to see their opponent was so big even without one eye they couldn’t miss. His armor dented and scratched, the knight wasn’t unscathed it’s movement were now oddly easy to dodge. The final blow hit him hard enough to topple him and Blake felt the pride rise up in a need to whop. They didn’t of course, instead dabbing at their wound, they kept the eye closed but it was bleeding. It would surely scar. Weiss smiled triumphantly, there was no only joy left and the fear had left her, she could finally choose her own future as promised. In turn, Blake stepped away falling by her side as her own self once more as they seperated. She smiled softly at the battered heiress who had won her freedom. Blake had never seen anybody more beautiful. It was the first time she had seen Weiss smile from the heart in the recollections.

 

“We’re not so different after all,” she whispered, her hand phazed through Weiss cheek and she pulled back. Her vision turned hazy, Blake looked around noting the room seemed to melt away. She didn’t panic because she knew it was probably time to wake up. For a moment, as her eyes turned to Weiss once last time, it had only been hours in reality yet they had shared many important days together. It must have been her imagination, the memory Weiss couldn’t be smiling at her, could she?

 

**Side White: Final**

 

“Cover me,” he asked as if it was the easiest thing to do.

 

The robots had taken a toll on the both of them and dodging their blows was becoming more difficult. They had seemed to take care of most until they ran into the latest model. Weiss had seen it in testing, it had left her with a sense of unease what technology could do. She didn’t like the idea of Blake facing those brutes of Atlas’ latest weaponry.

 

Adam took his stance, he needed time to build the final blow. Weiss, in the garbs of Blake, had to stall their final enemy. She would have felt angry if the anxiousness and the need to survive wasn’t rolling off from Blake into her. She wished she could tell her she wasn’t alone.

 

_ ‘It’s okay, you win Blake, you win and I get the honor of meeting you, we get to be a team and f-friends and…’ _ And what else came after that? Weiss wished she could say it to the real Blake.

 

“You’re so high maintenance you know that,” they snarked back blocking of a rather heavy blow and feeling like their legs would break under the pressure. Weiss felt satisfied, seeing the man grumble at the sarcastic jab as he concentrated. 

 

They moved in circles around the monstrous metallic guard. It was powerful, amazingly so, yet it had traded speed for its strength and they were much more agile. It focused on them and they were thankful. It was odd, feeling so free in battle, Weiss could relate having won her own similarly. It seemed their experiences paralleled each other much more than they thought possible. At last, they heard a cry behind them and moved out of the way. A red flash passed through their opponent and suddenly it had been split in two. The cargo was theirs to take. Their heart twinged and Weiss knew what Blake was thinking. 

 

_ ‘What if the guards had been human?’  _

 

A few jumps in memories ago, Weiss knew the faith Blake had kept in Adam, she would have answered with certainty that he was doing all he could for the good of their people. He would not kill without a reason. Today, Blake had grown into an adept fighter and into a critical thinker. The answer was different even though she still hoped it wasn’t so. It was time to take her stance.

 

As Adam recuperated, they moved away jumping to the empty wagon and shaking their head. Gambol easily sliced through the connection between the wagons. It hurt. It felt to Weiss like she had cut a part of her own heart. She was certain that was what Blake had lost that day. It had to be done nonetheless. There was no turning back.

 

Adam spun round, hurt in his eyes, incredulous at being abandoned, betrayed.  _ ‘Fool, _ ’ Weiss thought,  _ ‘You’re the one who betrayed your own _ ,’ They exchanged a few words, Weiss didn’t hear them as her head spun from the seperation. She only watched her teammate, wanted nothing more than to wake up. She wanted to talk to Blake. These memories were none of her business so she made no effort to hear their last words. They were for Blake to cherish or resent. It was her choice and her most intimate recollection to bear. It would be Blake’s decision if she wanted to share them.

 

**Side: Monochrome**

 

Blake woke up with a start, finding herself in a sitting position. The grey haze took over her vision and she groaned at the pain letting her eyes settle. The dorm room was unusually quiet and she noted it was because it was vacant. She remembered her adventure, and rubbed her palms along her face. She felt exhausted even though she had slept for more than 8 hours, or so her scroll informed her.

 

“That was not a normal dream, wasn’t it?” there was nobody to ask, and she wondered if keeping it to herself was a good idea. No, Weiss had the right to know. She felt her face grew hot, “Damn, that was...a lot to take in,”

 

Jumping to her feet in her need to hurry and practically running to the room’s bathroom she didn’t think to knock opening the door to come face to face with the girl in her thoughts. She spluttered, embarrassment visible in her expression as she was trying to apologize before she noticed something was wrong. Weiss looked terrible, as if she had not slept a wink. That made two of them.

 

“Morning,” she whispered awkwardly twiddling her thumbs. No snarky remark toward the way she had quite rudely come onto her without meaning to. “You’re just the person I wanted to talk to,”

 

Blake let the hand rubbing her neck fall to her side, she tilted her head puzzled. “Coincidentally, i was thinking I needed to speak to you.” She hummed uncertain, “I’m sorry about invading your privacy,”

 

“It’s a shared bath, I’m used to it,” Weiss grumbled crossing her arms, “Although it’s usually your partner that has no sense of decorum sometimes,”

 

“It’s not just that, tonight was...telling, uhm, insightful of your feelings?” she continued, not really sure how she should explain her experience. Weiss frowned rubbing a thumb against her scarred eye, it seemed a little more red than the other. Blake winced remembering the sensation of losing it’s functionality quite clearly, adrenaline had taken over any panic in losing the eye yet it was still fresh in Blake’s mind. She reached out placing her palm against the side of Weiss’ head and ran her thumb along it before realising what she had done.

 

“The knight you faced, you worked hard, congratulations on your win Weiss,”

 

Weiss face betrayed her shock for a second, it was followed by a look of comprehension. “I wanted to apologize, for the same exact thing, actually, at least I think we both shared an...uncommon venture last night?”

 

Blake narrowed her eyes, Weiss had a hand on hers now. Neither made a move. “Oh,”

 

“I wonder if it’s some connection through aura,” Weiss tried to make sense of the occurrence trying not to think about the charge she could feel in the air. “I know sometimes teammates can share aura and feel the others emotions after some time in battle,never heard of it outside a fight,”

 

“I don’t know,” Blake muttered, feeling her blush enveloping her whole face as she stared at the hand holding hers. Weiss in her grogginess noticed a few seconds after, and let her hand fall, apologizing.

 

“It’s fine,” Blake raised her hands pulling away, a slight tingle of regret in her chest, bringing back her hand to her own chest in a fist. Weiss cheek was really soft, “I mean it, we’re even right?”

 

Weiss pressed the back of her hand against her cheek, “A memory for a memory,”

 

Blake laughed at the weird word play, “If you want, we could talk about it, I’d rather be the one revealing my secrets to you than some random charged aura induced exchange,” Blake shrugged, offering her hand to the other once more.

 

“Agreed,” Weiss smiled clasping it in a shake, Blake felt her hand turn sweaty and half thanked her stars when the girl finally let go. She was feeling so much more conscious of Weiss now that it left little to doubt of how she really felt. Her mind was made up and perhaps that was the point of the crazy turn of events.

 

“It’s a date,”

 

Weiss flushed prettily at the words but nodded earnestly. She smiled tenderly and Blake wondered if she actually had a chance, she’d just have to find out.

 

Weiss looked up to her expression earnest, “Yes, I’d like that very much,”

  
_ ‘Guess it took seeing the effect of our bond to realise just how far we’ve come,’  _ Blake thought, mirroring the joy for Weiss observing the girl who now held her affection. She hoped in turn, to garner and win Weiss’ love in the time to come. This time, there was no way she was running and losing someone so special to her.


End file.
